The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1887-03-11
WAS SHE A COWARDs
why Molly did Things" as II She
Were Brave.

Were Brave.
'Oh. Molly Bates! before I'd be such
a 'fraid cat!' shouted Frank Parsons.
rs he saw Molly climb a five-rail fence
and scramble mp into an apple-tree.
because Mr.. Ways great dog came
barking down the road. Poor Molly
sat clinging to the bough Of the tree.
pale as a girl could be with the healthy
tan Of outdoor life and summer suns
on her face; trembling all over. eyes
full Of terror, and Just ready to scream,
when Mr.. Way called of his great En-
glish mastiif, slipped the chain under
his collar and led him away. growing
like distant thunder. Molly crept
down. and Frank went on:
before I'd climb an apple-tree
cause / was 'fraid Of a dogr'
Molly said nothing; her eyes were
full Of tears, for she liked her cousin
Frank. who was spending the summer
in Newfield, and yet she could not
deny that she was very much afraid Of
the dog.
Molly was eight years older than
Frank; a bright, sweet girl Of seven
teen she had never known her New
York cousins till this summer. for they
had been in Europe almost ever since
Frank was born. as he crossed the ocean
ut six months old; and the three older
Parsons children had only been to
Eewfeld once, when they were very
young. Aida was but nineteen now;
Amy Just six months older than Molly
Bates. John. the oldest Of all. was
twenty-one. and a fashionable young
man Of the city. Frank had been sent
TO Newficld this summer because the
family came back from abroad too
late to put him in school. and they did
not want him at Newport, or Saratoga,
or Lenox; 80 he was sem 10 his uncle's
in Newfield. and enjoyed himself as
heartily there rs ever a boy did enjoy
country life with kindly. generous rel
atiyes. And Frank liked Molly very
much; she was the oldest Of Uncle
Bates two children; for little Axe"
rs she called herself. was only four. and
went by the name Of "Baby" half the
time, nobody ever using her real name
of Achsah.
Boys do not care much for small
children but are apt 10 fancy those
older than themselves. and Frank took
: great liking TO Molly; she was always
ready to 60 with him on the hills after
berries; to show him where he could
dig sassafras, pick wintergrcen, find
black birch for its odorous twigs,
gather ~fIag-buds, or ho~ncysuckle ap-
pies; and she could show him every
cold brook for two miles about where
he could catch small trout, that Aunt
Mary would fry for his supper. And
Molly was such a pretty girl. with her
soft hazel eyes. nut-brown curls. and
rosy checks, all lit up by the sunniest
smiles, that Frank admired her very
much; but, alas! Molly sank a great
many degrees in his esteem when he
found out how afraid she was Of . big
dog, Of . COW that was cross, Of her
fathers fast horses; even Of the big
turkey-cock that came gobbling and
busting and attempting to ~ It her
when she crossed the barnyard with .
little red shawl on her shoulders.
Frank thought : girl ought to be As
brave - . boy, and quite despised
Molly because. he said:
'Shc's : real. old cowardl 'rraid Of
: dog! pooh! I'D just a. lives slap that
oog In the chops a. notr
Il wouldn't try it e 1 was you,"
dryly remarked Hiram, the hired man.
sMolIy knows more You do about that
There dog; he's uglier n all possessed.
Ways tryin' his level best to get rid On
him, before haydn. for he's bit two Of
their folks Already"
believe"
Il dono ashe would. an I dono a. he
wodldn't; but Iwouldn't run no resks,
not very fur" answered Hiram.
well, she's 'fraid Of Bill an joe"
II visit you was. Idono what your
folks think ont, but cf you was my boy
you shouldn't no more drive them young
broke"
We'll, Uncle isn't goln' to let me; he
eaid ne was only iunnin' when ne asked
!! didn't want TO take them over TO
ne village for the mail"
kinder lucky you didn't. Iexpcct